Fire-escape.



PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

W. F. EPPERSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATIOI? FILED m3. 2. 190a no MODEL.

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WILLIS F. EPPERSON, OF LADOGA, INDIANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 738,785, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed March 2,1903.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIS F. EPPERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ladoga, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to provide a simple, safe, and easily-controlled fireescape by means of which persons can leave burning buildings by way of windows and such like openings. 7

It consists in a novel means by which the carrier is securely held upon the rope and its speed in descent controlled by the party using it, as will be hereinafter more particularly described aud claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a view of a fire-escape embodying my said invention as the same appears when hung to a casing alongside a window or such like place; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the carrier and immediately-adjacent parts on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, an edge elevation of the same; and Figs. 4: and 5, horizontal sectional views as seen when looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from ivhe dotted lines4 4 and 5 5, respectively, in

In preparing my invention for use I first attach an ordinary cord or rope 15 to some suitable support, as a hook 16, said rope being of sufficient length to extend from the said point to the point where it is desired to land, as the ground orstreet outside the building. The carrier consists, in the main, of the two parts 17 and 18, which are grooved on their adjacent faces to conform substantially to the rope to which said carrier isto be attached.

These parts are connected by suitable screws 19, 20, 21,and 22, which pass through the ears of one part and enter the preferably screwthreaded iperforations in the corresponding ears of the other part, although they may pass through both ears-and have nuts on their screw-threaded ends, if desired. One of each of the pairs of screws, as shown, is preferably a simple thumb-screw, while the other of each of said pairs is shown as provided with a small hand-wheel. This is the construction Serial No. 145,671. (No model.)

which I prefer, although of course any suitable form which can be conveniently grasped by the user is admissible. The lower ends of the main parts 17 and 1S develop into hooks 23, over which suitable eyes of the sling or seat-rope 24 are adapted to pass. A clamping-lever is also provided, by means of which when the screws are not in use the carrier can be securely held upon the rope and its speed regulatedinmakingthedescent. Thisclamping-lever consists of a loop 25, which passes over the ends of the two main parts 17 and 18 and develops into a bar 26, which extends thence to near the other ends of said main parts, where it is suitably shaped to form a handle or grip 27, by which it can begrasped and held toward the carrier by the user. At

a point near the looped end of this clamping lever it is provided with a boss 28, which serves as a fulcrum and bears against the surface of the adjacent part at that point.

In operation the rope 15 is hung as shown in Fig. 1 and the carrier brought to approximately the level ofthe window-sill. The person who is to use the fire-escape then brings the sling 24 around and hooks the looped ends thereof onto the hooks 23, passing the middle of said sling around the body. The thumb-screws are then tightened up, so that the carrier will not slip on the rope underany strain; which is likely to come upon it. The user then swings himself outside the building and when in proper position grasps with one hand the lower part of the carrier-body and the clamping-lever, thus putting himself in position to control the descent of the carrier on the rope. He then loosens the screws, relieving the ropefrom their pressure, and by means of the clamping-lever'controls his descent, as described, stopping at any point and permitting a faster or slower speed at will. If at any point in the descent it is desired to make more than a momentary stop, the thumb-screws can be tightened up, after which both hands of the user are at liberty for other purposesas, for example, in the.

Patented September 15, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT assisting of the rescue of some person from a story of the building which the user of this escape is passing in his descent.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

TOO

1. The combination, in a fire-escape, of a suitable rope, a carrier comprising two halves adapted to be clamped to said rope, clamping-screws whereby said carrier may be securely attached to said rope, a sling for receiving the user adapted to be attached to said carrier, and a clamping-lever whereby the user is enabled to hold the carrier-halves against the rope and control the speed of his descent after the clamping-screws are loosened, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a fire-escape, of a suitable rope, a carrier mounted on said rope and comprising two main parts, and a clamping-lever comprising a loop adapted to surround said main parts and a handle-bar extending parallel therewith and provided with a fulcrum intermediate the loop and the grip of the handle, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a fire-escape, of a suitable rope, a carrier comprising two main parts each provided with two pairs of ears, suitable screws connecting, said ears and serving to adjustably hold the main parts toward each other to bear more or less tigh-tly'on the rope, and independent means for also clamping the parts upon the rope when the screws are loosened, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a fire-escape, of a suitable rope, a carrier mounted upon and adapted to travel longitudinally of said rope said carrier comprising two main parts adjustable toward and away from each other, clampingscrews whereby said adjustable movement is effected and the carrier-halves clamped closely into contact with said rope when desired, and a clamping-lever, whereby, when the clainping-screws are loosened, frictional contact between the halves and the rope may be maintained by the grip of the hand of the user.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1903.

WILLIS F.'EPPERSON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH. 

